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Why two Opus cartridges, Tang? Different arms? From reading your excellent cartridge write ups, I think I would prefer the Opus to your others, though I am curious to learn how the Red Sparrow changes with more break-in and how it sounds on different arm/turntable combinations.

Has anyone with multiple arms on the same table ever tried sacrificing an old LP by breaking in multiple new cartridges at the same time with the volume off? It's a silly idea, especially as it is kind of interesting to hear how a new cartridge changes over time, and to just try to enjoy the process, but I am curious if anyone has tried this.

Why two Opus cartridges, Tang? Different arms? From reading your excellent cartridge write ups, I think I would prefer the Opus to your others, though I am curious to learn how the Red Sparrow changes with more break-in and how it sounds on different arm/turntable combinations.

Hi Peter,

I bought the second Opus quite a while back. I really like Opus so I bought another one for spare. It is the most grade A all around cart I have. In case I want to cut out all variables to compare tts I can do so if I have two same carts. Also two same arms. And it is my hobby to truely find out how tts I am interested in really sound. I am warming it up for AS.

Yesterday, I didn’t have any meeting so I kept listening to the RS. I have a bad back so I don’t like to switch things behind my components so much. But Boonyarat delivered me the Airtight step-up trans to use with mm input of my EMT phono, so I made best use of my back switch the RS from Ayon Phono to EMT phono too. These two are excellent sounding tube phono. The result is no different from when RS was on the Ayon.

And no. I didn’t put any more variable into the chain. I didn’t put RS into Airtight step up. The RS was put in one of the mc inputs next to the AtlasSL. I put the MSL Plat into the Airtight step up. Interestingly, the sound of MSL becomes even more beautiful sounding in the mids and high while loosing some micro dynamic and some instruments are pushed back in the scene a little. A lot more different than Opus1 now. When I have time to analyze and can spare my back for switching in/out of step up, I will write my finding in Peter’s MSL thread.

You still haven't told us what impedance you load the cartridges at? Is the Ayon running at 47k or what the SUT is loaded at?

Hi Shane,

I didn’t answer because I don’t know. My Ayon Phono is a custom one and I never asked the designer. It works well with all my carts so far. The normal Ayon Spheris has ~300 ohms.

The Airtight SUT is connected to the mm input of EMT phono with 47K. It has two selectable inputs. One for cart with 0.6-7 Ohm which is what I use with my MSL. The other is for cart with 7 - 40 Ohm. I understand the RS impedance is 12.3.

I didnít answer because I donít know. My Ayon Phono is a custom one and I never asked the designer. It works well with all my carts so far. The normal Ayon Spheris has ~300 ohms.

The Airtight SUT is connected to the mm input of EMT phono with 47K. It has two selectable inputs. One for cart with 0.6-7 Ohm which is what I use with my MSL. The other is for cart with 7 - 40 Ohm. I understand the RS impedance is 12.3.

Tang

Here I was thinking that you were giving a comprehensive review of the RS....disappointing.

Spent some time against the Opus today on Billy's system (been spending a lot of time there lately) with the Primary Control Kinea. The one clear difference is that there is a HUGE difference in the loading between the two. Impedance matching is essential to optimize for the cartridge, not the phonostage. Cartridges are electro-mechanical and while the manufacturer may not publish the recommended impedance (due to very different Phono stages) you must ALWAYS load it properly to get the best sound.

Billy and I both much preferred the RS on the Kinea with the Primary Control Reference 9in. The Transrotor was on its special dedicated stand for the A/B of the two TT systems using the Graham Phantom Elite and Air Tight Opus. A little unfair though because we did not have loading pins for the under 500 ohms for the Opus and as mentioned it like to be loaded closer to 100 for best sound

Talos presentation was very surreal. Hard to describe until I have more time to understand this phenomenon.